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Study of tropical cyclogenesis using satellite data

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Summary

Satellite data are used to study the cloud development and water vapor supply during the genesis of Typhoon Nina (November 1987). Using satellite microwave and infrared data, the following physical parameters are retrieved and analyzed: water vapor path, surface wind, sea surface evaporation, precipitation, and cloud type.

During the week prior to the genesis of Nina, several cloud clusters were observed in the region of the subsequent genesis (near 5° N, 170° E). Cloud type studies showed that several clusters had similar structures. By examining the sea surface evaporation and precipitation in the cloud clusters, we found that the precipitation exceeded evaporation by several times in the precipitating areas of the cluster that evolved into a tropical storm, indicating that local evaporation alone could not supply enough water vapor, and that horizontal transfer of water vapor from surrounding areas is required for the tropical cyclogenesis. Surface wind fields indicated that there was a constant increase of cyclonic wind in the area of the cloud cluster that finally led to the tropical storm, while no apparent increase of wind was found in the other cloud clusters. In addition, water vapor amount did not decrease for several days until the disturbance was upgraded to a tropical storm, while it was found to decrease after the mature stage for the other cloud clusters that did not evolve into tropical storms.

From consideration of the water vapor balance, the cyclogenesis can be interpreted as a transition from an unbalanced cluster to a balanced cluster. Horizontal transfer of water vapor in a water vapor-unbalanced cloud cluster is not large enough to overcome the deficit caused by precipitation over evaporation. The shortage of water vapor in the unbalanced cluster results in a short-lived cloud cluster. When the sum of evaporation and horizontal transfer can provide enough water vapor supply to balance the removal by precipitation (balanced cluster), the precipitation does not “dry up” the atmosphere. This is the necessary condition for the cyclogenesis. The increase in horizontal transfer of water vapor is found in this study to be associated with the increase of the surface cyclonic wind.

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  1. G. Liu, J. A. Curry & C. A. Clayson

    Present address: Program in Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, University of Colorado, CB429, 80309-0429, Boulder, CO, USA

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    1. G. Liu
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    3. C. A. Clayson
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    Liu, G., Curry, J.A. & Clayson, C.A. Study of tropical cyclogenesis using satellite data. Meteorl. Atmos. Phys. 56, 111–123 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01022524

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